When an armed and unstable Nevada lawmaker went on the lam following threats to a legislative leader it was instantly the biggest story in the state. In the days that followed I was the first reporter to track the troubled lawmaker to an apartment on the outskirts of town and secure an in-person interview. It took hours of texting back-and-forth to secure an interview and photo that captivated readers from the time it ran until his expulsion from the legislature weeks later.
During the 2011 legislative session I was the first to interview a woman who had been assaulted by a man who went on to capture and kill another woman. It was the first time the subject publicly revealed her identity as a sexual assault victim. The result was a story that humanized a debate over a campus security bill that was otherwise dominated by talking points for and against gun control.
“Downtown curfew proposal draws criticism”
At first glance a proposed juvenile curfew by the mayor of Las Vegas appeared to have broad support from downtown area constituents. But a closer reading of the legislation showed the proposal was so broad it encompassed residential neighborhoods in addition to the bar district. As a result of reaching out to sources who aren’t part of the local power structure mine was the only story about the issue that highlighted civil liberty problems, prompting backers to promise to pare back the idea.
